1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for keeping articles together, wherein the articles have a hole through which the device holds the articles and, more particularly, to an open ring-like device for holding articles and a novel method for inserting or extracting articles from the device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cards such as credit cards or identification cards are used and often required for various purposes ranging from obtaining cash from an automatic teller machine or identifying oneself. These cards are commonly carried in the card pockets of wallets or purses. However, there are a limited number of pockets in a wallet or a purse, the visibility of the cards is restricted and a large number of cards can add an uncomfortable bulk to a wallet. Furthermore, extracting the cards can be a difficult task because the cards commonly have slippery surfaces and are stored in tightly fitting pockets.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,926 (van der Toorn) discloses a device which holds cards in a frame-like card holder with dimensions slightly larger than the card itself. Cards fit inside the holder which has a hole through which a ring keeps a number of holders together. However, this device requires the use of a holder for each of the cards and does not offer a novel approach to inserting or extracting cards from a ring.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,242,959 (Glass) discloses an invention which does not require a separate card holder for each of the cards. The invention uses cards modified with a slot and a hole located at the end of the slot. A spindle is slid into the slot and fitted into the hole. Unfortunately, this invention requires the use of specially manufactured cards or extensive card modification. These requirements are necessarily constrained by the information presented on the card surface in the form of a picture, a bar code or a magnetic strip.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,871,691 (Bacon) discloses a flexible one-piece key ring where a male end of the ring is inserted into a larger opposite distal female end of the ring whereby the location of barbs and gripping surfaces allow the ring to remain closed. However, the operation of this device requires a separate step of opening or closing the ring, in addition to inserting or extracting the keys.
U.S. Pat. No. 123,360 (Porter et al.) discloses a device designed to hold paper tickets. The device is a ring where one distal end is in the shape of a hook and an opposite distal end is in the shape of an eye. The ring is opened by dislodging the hook from the eye. The holes on the tickets are threaded through the hook to insert the tickets on the ring. Like the Bacon invention above, this invention requires a separate step of opening or closing the ring and inserting or extracting the tickets. Furthermore, the inner edge of the top half of the ring has a sharp edge so that tickets can be torn out, a feature not appropriate for keeping plastic cards.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,407,863 (Hochenauer) discloses a ring-shaped device where there is a ball fixed at one end of a ring. The ball partially fits into an opening at the opposite distal end of the ring. The ring is opened by laterally pushing the ball end out of alignment with the opposite distal end. Like the inventions mentioned above, this invention requires the user to manually open the ring and an additional step of inserting or extracting an article.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a device to hold articles which overcomes the above-mentioned difficulties associated with the previous devices.
The present invention relates to a device which facilitates the insertion and extraction of articles. An article can be inserted into the device by sliding the article in between tips disposed at the opening of the device and threading the device through a hole in the article. To extract an article, the article is simply pulled out through the tips.
In particular, the present invention relates to a device for holding together articles, comprising an open ring not limited to an annular shape. The ring is formed into a configuration such that distal ends are opposed to one another. Tips are disposed at each of the distal ends of the ring, the tips being operative to be displaced apart with respect to each other by an article. The tips will be sufficiently displaced to create an opening between the distal ends to allow the article to be inserted or extracted from the device. In one embodiment, the tips are preferably, but not necessarily, of spherical shape. Alternatively, in another embodiment, the tips further comprise an encasement disposed at each distal end, a biasing component inside each encasement, and an end tip disposed at an end of each encasement.
In addition, the invention further relates to a device which includes a jacket attached to the ring to cover articles held on the ring.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method of holding articles together by forming an open ring not limited to an annular shape. The ring is formed into a configuration such that distal ends are opposed to one another and tips are disposed at the distal ends. Next, the method comprises pushing an edge of an article in between the tips to displace the tips apart. Finally, the method comprises sliding the article in between the tips, and threading a distal end through a hole in the article. In one embodiment, the tips are preferably, but not necessarily, of spherical shape. Alternatively, in another embodiment, the method further comprises pushing an end tip into an encasement disposed at the distal end, against a biasing component inside the encasement.
In addition, the method further comprises attaching a jacket on the ring to cover articles held on the ring.
Lastly, it is a still further object of the present invention to provide a device for holding together cards or keys, comprising an open ring in one of an annular and a non-annular shape, formed into a configuration such that the distal ends are opposed to one another. The tips disposed at each of the distal ends of the ring are operative to be displaced apart with respect to each other by pushing an edge of a card or a key against the tips to insert or extract the card of the key from the device. The device includes a spine member disposed at the base of the open ring, and a jacket for covering the cards or keys, attached to the spine member.